Tips & Tricks
Tips and tricks for a lower electricity bill and gas bill
Save electricity costs
No standby thanks to multiple sockets that can be switched off: The standby of electrical appliances accounts for a significant proportion of the total electricity consumption in the household. TVs or games consoles that are switched off are usually on standby. The plug in the socket is often enough for electricity to flow unnoticed. Power strips with toggle switches can be used to stop power consumption.
Efficient new devices usually pay for themselves quickly: on average, devices for communication and entertainment use a third of the electricity in your household. So it's worth it for you to opt for efficient and smaller devices when it comes to televisions, computers and games consoles. Replacing an older device often pays off quickly despite the higher purchase price.
Large appliances offer particular savings potential: Because refrigerators and freezers usually run continuously, they consume on average around a fifth of the total electricity in the household. The right temperature is crucial: in the refrigerator, +7 degrees in the top compartment is usually sufficient. Every degree less increases power consumption.
Minus 18 degrees is optimal in the freezer compartment. If you need additional refrigerators or freezers, check your needs. Before buying a new one, think about what size the refrigerator needs to be for how many people in the household. Here too, you should choose efficient and smaller devices.
Better to use a laptop than a PC: Many employees have shifted their work to the home office. Use a laptop or notebook to work at your desk. PCs generally consume significantly more power.
Switch your laptop and PC to energy-saving mode: Most devices have an energy-saving mode that they automatically switch to after a certain period of inactivity. Enable this feature.
Timing routers: Routers are among the major consumers in the household. You connect the internet-enabled devices to the internet via a WiFi connection. With many router models, the data transfer functions can be limited in time and switched off at night, for example. If you also turn off your WiFi receivers completely at night, you will also reduce the router's power consumption.
Use an ammeter: Buy an ammeter at a hardware store. This way you can keep an eye on the consumption of different devices. At the same time, you can use play to sensitize children to using electrical appliances sparingly. Read the electricity meter: Check your electricity meter weekly and keep an eye on electricity consumption in the household.
Save heating costs
One degree less reduces consumption by around six percent: even small changes in everyday life have an effect - and without any loss of comfort. Most people feel warm when their home is between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. However, in many households it is warmer than necessary. The warmer the radiator, the higher the heating bill.
As a rule of thumb: every degree less in room temperature reduces consumption by around six percent. Using programmed thermostats, you can specifically control the temperature in individual rooms or automatically lower it at night. For the living room and kitchen, 19 to 21 degrees Celsius is sufficient; in the bathroom it can be a little warmer at 21 to 24 degrees Celsius. In the bedroom, 18 degrees is enough, in less used rooms even 16 degrees. However, it shouldn't get cooler, otherwise there is a risk of mold.
Bleeding the radiator : If the radiator gurgles and doesn't get warm, there may be air in the system. This also uses more energy than necessary. With a vent key you can easily let the air out of the hot radiator.
No furniture or curtains in front of the radiator: Do not hide your radiators behind curtains or furniture. The heat builds up behind it and is not properly released into the room. The room becomes evenly warm. A sofa, for example, should be at least 30 centimeters away from the heater. Curtains on windows with radiators underneath should not be floor-length, but should end above the heat source. Also important: Keep the radiators clean - lint and dust can reduce the heat output.
Set the heating correctly: How often have you adjusted your heating? The fact is: Settings on the heating are often no longer changed. In extreme cases, the control is still in the factory settings when delivered and has never been adapted to the respective building. If you set the heating system correctly, you can save 10 to 15 percent energy.
Ventilate properly: Proper ventilation is not difficult at all and saves energy. The most important rule during the heating season is: ventilate intermittently several times a day instead of constantly tilting! If possible, open the windows completely for a few minutes. This means that the air in the room is exchanged quickly without the walls inside cooling down.
Once the windows are closed again, the heating only has to heat the fresh air, not the massive components. This is much faster and requires significantly less energy. The air exchange is even faster and more economical when there is a draft.
